After the litany of injuries he dealt with over the course of last season, light retirement speculation surfaced around Detroit Lions center Frank Ragnow. He quickly put that to bed though, and he tried to put any such speculation in the immediate future to bed too.
In a vacuum, at 28 years old entering his seventh season, Ragnow has a lot of years left in his career. But last year's injuries (which resembled an game of "Operation"), and his ongoing management of a toe injury, have to be taking some years off the back end of his career. He is under contract through 2026, which will be his age-30 season. It's hard to foresee a great decline in his play in the meantime, but it's also possible the Lions will be looking to how they move on by then.
In a big picture sense, the Lions should have some eye on who will succeed Ragnow at center. There has been some speculation, well-informed or otherwise, that 2024 will be his last season. That feels incredibly unlikely, but to completely dismiss the possibility would be foolish.
Lions get possible Frank Ragnow successor in early 2025 mock draft
Before the first full slate of games on this year's college football schedule, Nick Baumgardner and Scott Dochterman of The Athletic did an early 2025 first round mock draft (subscription required). The Lions were at No. 30 overall, and Dochterman did the even-numbered picks.
Dochterman had the Lions taking Alabama center Parker Brailsford.
"This might be a little early for Brailsford (6-3, 290), who followed coach Kalen DeBoer from Washington to Alabama this offseason. Brailsford is entering only his third season, so he could stay in Tuscaloosa another year. But he’s the top center prospect, and the Lions might have a need at the position in a few years. This move would fortify a strength before it becomes a weakness."
At Washington last year, Brailsford posted a top-10 overall Pro Football Grade among Power 5 centers (77.3). His 80.7 run blocking grade was third among Power 5 centers. On zone runs, he led all centers with a 90.7 grade.
In the season opener for Alabama, with a lower than what'll be normal snap count due to a 63-0 win over Western Kentucky, he had an 80.4 pass blocking grade.
Lions have only drafted to what are widely seen as their biggest immediate needs under general manager Brad Holmes when it's blatantly obvious. So taking a potential successor for Ragnow early in the 2025 draft can't be ruled out, if only to make sure the center position stays a strength after the best in the league at the position calls it a career-whenever he does so.